She stood in the center of a glowing Compass Rose, surrounded by starlight. There was no direction that she could determine, neither up nor down, right or left. Only the Compass provided solidity to her world.

The hand turned her slowly, allowing her to gaze in each direction, the unending vistas reaching into infinity. At each Compass Point, a golden chalice gleamed in the starlight, and under her feet the rose changed color in swirls of light.

A Voice, not so much spoke as arrived like a fullblown thought in Silki's mind. She welcomed the ancient tongue, finding beauty in its cadence.

"Art thou the Rose? Is it thy Essence?" asked the Voice.

"Here in this place, thou shalt see the What Could Be," continued the Voice. "For in bonding with the Magus, there is a forfeit that must be made." And Silki knew it was so.

"Turn thee now to the North, wherein thou mayest see thy Heart to be."

Silki turned regarded the compass point which began to shimmer with waves of light until she could peer within and see a kaleidescope of images flashing by. She let the images fill her mind, absorbing their meaning... they were the futures that could be.

"Canst thou forfeit them?" the Voice asked.

Never to be as other women, realised Silki, never to know the simple joys of being a wife, bearing children and watching them grow to be parents themselves. Never to hold my grandchildren in my arms as an ordinary woman might. A tear formed in her eye and fell to the compass rose and became a tiny drop of dew on a petal. A bitter price indeed.

Taking the chalice at the North point, Silki raised it before her, then drank deeply from its contents. "I accept the price," she said softly to the voice. "I give my Heart."

"Then turn thyself to the East. There is thy Mind's future to be."

Once again the images pulsed before her. Never to have a thought unseen. Never to know the quiet of solitude. Never to keep a single secret, Silki mourned.

"Wilt thou pay the price?" the Voice asked.

Silki knelt to take up the chalice at the East Point. Taking it up, once again she drank deeply. "I freely pay the price," she whispered. "I give my Mind."

"To the West is thy Spirit and what could be. Lookest thou."

Silki trembled as the images from the West shimmered on and on. To never know eternal peace. To never rest secure in ignorance of the Gods. To never know heavenly flight as a single soul. She ached with the loss.

"Is this burden too heavy?" asked the Voice.

The chalice glittered at the West Point. Slowly Silki reached out with both hands and drew the cup to her breast. "I shall bear the burden," she murmured, then drank again. "I give my Spirit."

"Lastly is the South and thy Body's life that could be. Behold it."

Her breath quickened as she beheld the scenes unfolding before her. Her hands shook and she looked away from the images, only to be drawn back to them. She nearly faltered then. The cost would be high.

"Thou must decide. Canst thou give what is asked?" said the Voice.

Silki bowed her head. Long moments passed and then she picked up the last chalice and drank. "I give all that is asked. I give my Body."

The waves of color beneath her feet heightened in intensity, becoming swirls of silken mist wrapping about her, cradling her. She closed her eyes and gave herself to the infinite, Mind, Body, Spirit and Heart.

"Thou truly art the Rose," whispered the Voice to her.

Suddenly the silken mists were gone and Silki opened her eyes to find herself in the Second Circle once more. She felt the power within herself, firm in her purpose, accepting her destiny.

"Beloved," she reached out to the Magus with her mind, needing no words to speak.

She knew the meaning of the Giving. "I am thy Chalice, my Beloved."

She beheld K's struggle, conscious of all he had done, and held out her hand.

"Drink thou deeply of me."

The room vanished.